buttfield stranahan argued january decided february case presents determination question constitutionality statute known tea inspection act approved march stat chap comp stat act copied full margin january eight packages tea imported port new york per steamer adana firm plaintiff error general partner tea entered import new york stored bonded warehouse time certain standards enumerated selected board tea inspectors put force treasury regulations said act march eight packages tea question embraced class known green teas numbered list standards tea examined february rejected standard quality term quality thus used meant cup quality tea say taste flavor appeal taken importer board general appraisers board march certified collector said tea inferior quality standard prescribed law accordingly overruled appeal firm notified decision march november following plaintiff acquired interest partner collector permission withdraw tea consumption payment duties request refused application made release tea bond order export also refused ground tea finally rejected act march six months previous application plaintiff error also notified tea ordered public stores destruction action commenced state new york county new york collector port new york recover damages alleged wrongful seizure removal destruction tea question averments made importation storing tender duties refusal accept demand tea refusal deliver general denial filed action account acts done defendant revenue laws collector customs removed application circuit southern district new york trial case circuit judge coxe jury exhibit reproduced margin introduced evidence choicest moyune choice moyune choicest teenkai finest moyune choice teenkai fine finest moyune finest teenkai fine moyune fine finest teenkai fine moyune fine teenkai fully good medium moyune fine teenkai good medium moyune fully good medium teenkai finest fychow good medium moyune good medium teenkai fine fair moyune good teenkai good medium fychow finest wenchow good common moyune fair teenkai fair fine common moyune good common moyune good commmon good good clean genuine shanghai packed common teenkai common fair good common wenchow common wenchow mixed shanghai packed common refined adulterated shanghai packed indicated exhibit country green teas thereon designated arranged order quality highest lowest highest grade lowest designation perpendicular column represented teas grown particular district teas enumerated horizontal line considered equal grade chairman board tea experts treasury department testified standard country green teas force time tea question imported hyson fine teenkai list standards fixing standard board made diligent search country green teas lower lower pure teas new york market obtainable trade unable find term hyson may observed indicated tea made coarsest leaves plaintiff testified quality tea controversy corresponded quality grade exhibit evidence government effect grade fair fvchow exhibit testimony also tended show tea question differed respect cup quality government standard evidence government tea decidedly low grade pure tea low quality close evidence overruled motion direct verdict plaintiff exception reserved thereupon granting motion behalf defendant instructed question constitutionality statute defendant collector port acted directed verdict favor upon judgment entered verdict returned accordance instruction case brought directly james bishop james simpson plaintiff error edward whitney solicitor general hoyt defendant error statement justice white justice white making foregoing statement delivered opinion assignments error assail act trial denying motion direction verdict favor plaintiff giving peremptory instruction favor defendant summarized contentions follows act march confers authority establish standards power legislative constitutionally delegated congress administrative officers plaintiff error vested right engage trader foreign commerce import teas matter fact pure wholesome free adulteration fraud deception fit consumption establishment enforcement standards quality teas operated deprive alleged vested right constituted deprivation property without due process law act unconstitutional provide notice opportunity heard afforded importer rejection tea tea examiner tea board general appraisers event authority conferred statute destroy goods upon expiration time limit removal export destruction property without judicial proceeding condemnation property without hearing taking thereof without due process law whether contentions stated tenable questions consideration examining statute order determine constitutionality must guided rule every intendment favor validity must presumed constitutional unless repugnancy constitution clearly appears nicol ames ed sup gettysburg electric ed sup power regulate commerce foreign nations expressly conferred upon congress enumerated power complete acknowledging limitations prescribed constitution lottery case ed sup leisy hardin ed inters com sup whatever difference opinion may existed exist concerning limitations power resulting provisions constitution far interstate commerce concerned doubted beginning congress exercised plenary power respect exclusion merchandise brought foreign countries alone directly enactment embargo statutes indirectly necessary result provisions contained tariff legislation also tariff legislation exerted police power foreign commerce provisions amounted assertion right exclude merchandise discretion illustrated statutory provisions force fifty years regulating degree strength drugs medicines chemicals entitled admission excluding equal standards adopted stat chap rev stat comp stat power regulate foreign commerce certainly efficacious regulate commerce indian tribes last power referred gallons whiskey ed exclusive absolute declared broad free restrictions regulate commerce foreign nations case held competent congress extend prohibition unlicensed introduction sale spirituous liquors indian country territory proximity occupied indians thus restricting commerce entertain doubt competent congress statute power regulate foreign commerce establish standards provide right exist import teas foreign countries unless teas equal standards result complete power congress foreign commerce necessarily follows individual vested right trade foreign nations broad character limit restrict power congress determine articles merchandise may imported country terms upon right import may exercised true results statute restrains introduction particular goods considerations public policy violate due process clause constitution act march exercise congress purely arbitrary power evident terms law consideration circumstances led enactment history act proper construction also reasons deciding regulations secretary treasury establishing standard question warranted statute succintly stated opinion appeals second circuit buttfield bidwell fed adopt statement said basic question case true construction act congress march entitled act prevent importation impure unwholesome tea section makes unlawful import bring merchandise tea inferior purity quality fitness consumption standards provided act importation merchandise hereby prohibited section provides appointment secretary treasury immediately passage act february subsequent year board tea experts shall prepare submit standard samples tea section provides secretary treasury upon recommendation said board fix establish uniform standards purity quality fitness consumption kinds teas imported samples standards deposited various supplied importers dealers cost declares teas merchandise described tea inferior purity quality fitness consumption standards shall deemed within prohibition first section hereof sections provide examination importations tea examination board general appraisers case protest importer collector finding primary examiner testing purity quality fitness consumption cases examination cording usages customs tea trade including test infusion boiling water necessary chemical analysis history enactment shows word industriously inserted make act stringent substitute existing legislation act march stat chap force merchandise imported sale tea adulterated spurious exhausted leaves containing admixture deleterious substances make use prohibited exhausted leaves defined include tea deprived proper quality strength virtue steeping infusion decoction means thus importation tea containing admixture leaves deprived proper quality virtue method treatment prohibited act however contained provision establishment government standards establishment uniform standards interest importer consumer become recognized necessity report senate committee commerce provision suggested designed among things protect consumer rubbish insure article fit use report pointed average grade tea ever known used consumers proposed remedy establishment standards grades tea fit use originally introduced house bill prohibited importation merchandise tea inferior purity fitness consumption standards provided act amended senate inserting word words consumption wherever occurred house bill amendment evinces intention senate authorize adoption uniform standards secretary treasury adequate exclude lowest grades tea whether demonstrably inferior purity unfit consumption presumably possibly inferior quality house concurred amendment measure enacted present terms conclude regulations secretary treasury warranted provisions act claim statute commits arbitrary discretion secretary treasury determination teas may imported therefore effect vests official legislative power without merit opinion statute properly construed said circuit appeals expresses purpose exclude lowest grades tea whether demonstrably inferior purity unfit consumption presumably inferior quality effect fixing primary standard devolved upon secretary treasury mere executive duty effectuate legislative policy declared statute case within principle marshall field clark ed sup decided section tariff act october stat chap repugnant constitution conferring legislative making power president authorized suspend provisions act relating free introduction sugar molasses coffee tea hides may say legislation case said legislation considered marshall field clark real sense invest administrative officials power legislation congress legislated subject far reasonably practicable necessities case compelled leave executive officials duty bringing result pointed statute deny power congress delegate duty effect amount declaring plenary power vested congress regulate foreign commerce efficaciously exerted whether secretary treasury failed carry effect expressed purpose congress established standards operated exclude teas entitled admission proper standards adopted question called upon consider sufficiency standards adopted secretary treasury committed judgment honestly exercised important assertion bad faith malice part officer fixing standards part defendant performance duties resting urged denial due process law failing accord plaintiff error hearing board tea inspectors secretary treasury establishing standard question general appraisers upon tea waiving point plaintiff error appear asked hearing assuming statute confer right opinion statute objectionable reason provisions respect fixing standards examination samples government experts purpose determining whether conditions existed conferred right import therefore sense concerned taking property latter question intended congress finally settled judicial proceeding action agents government upon power subject conferred remains consider contention provision statute commanding destruction teas exported within six months final rejection unconstitutional importer charged notice provisions law conditions upon teas might brought abroad view introduction consumption failing establish right import inferior quality merchandise compared standard duty imposed upon importer perform certain requirements take goods custody authorities within period time fixed statute ample duration notified happening various contingencies requiring positive action part duty take action enjoined upon failed exercise collector obligation expiration time limit destroy goods plaintiff error knowledge various steps taken respect tea including final rejection board general appraisers conceded think provision statute complained wanting due process law affirmed justice brewer justice brown heard argument took part decision case footnotes act prevent importation impure unwholesome tea enacted senate house representatives america congress assembled may first eighteen hundred shall unlawful person persons corporation import bring merchandise tea inferior purity quality fitness consumption standards provided section three act importation merchandise hereby prohibited sec immediately passage act february fifteenth year thereafter secretary treasury shall appoint board consist seven members shall expert teas shall prepare submit standard samples tea persons appointed shall times subject removal said secretary shall serve term one year vacancies said board occurring removal death resignation cause shall forthwith filled secretary treasury appointment appointee hold unexpired term said board shall appoint presiding officer shall medium communications board member said board shall receive compensation sum fifty dollars per annum together necessary expenses engaged upon duty herein provided shall paid appropriation collecting revenue customs sec secretary treasury upon recommendation said board shall fix establish uniform standards purity quality fitness consumption kinds teas imported shall procure deposit customhouses ports new york chicago san francisco ports may determine duplicate samples standards said secretary shall procure sufficient number duplicate samples standards supply importers dealers tea ports desiring cost teas merchandise described tea inferior purity quality fitness consumption standards shall deemed within prohibition first section hereof sec making entry teas merchandise described tea imported importer consignee shall give bond collector port merchandise shall removed warehouse released collector shall duly examined reference purity quality fitness consumption purpose examination samples line every invoice tea shall submitted importer consignee examiner together sworn statement importer consignee samples represent true quality every part invoice accord specifications therein contained discretion secretary treasury samples shall obtained examiner compared standards established act cases said tea merchandise described tea entered ports qualified examiner provided section seven consignee importer shall manner aforesaid furnish oath sample line tea collector revenue officer committed collection duties said officer shall draw cause drawn samples line every invoice shall forward duly qualified examiner provided section seven provided however bond required shall also conditioned payment charges may attach merchandise prior released destroyed case may provisions act sec examination provided section four tea found examiner equal purity quality fitness consumption standards hereinbefore provided examination shall demanded collector provided section six permit shall granted importer consignee declaring tea free control custom authorities examination tea merchandise described tea found opinion examiner inferior purity quality fitness consumption said standards importer consignee shall immediately notified tea merchandise described tea shall released unless called importer consignee finding examiner shall found erroneous provided portion invoice passed examiner permit shall granted portion remainder held examination provided section six sec case collector importer consignee shall protest finding examiner matter dispute shall referred decision board three general appraisers designated secretary treasury board shall due examination find tea question equal purity quality fitness consumption proper standards permit shall issued collector release delivery importer upon final board tea shall found inferior purity quality fitness consumption said standards importer consignee shall give bond security satisfactory collector export said tea merchandise described tea limits within period six months final shall exported within time specified collector expiration time shall cause destroyed formosa oolong foochon oolong north china congon south china congon india tea used ceylon tea pingsuey green tea country green tea japan tea pan flred used sun japan tea pan fired used sun dried japan tea basket fired japan tea dust fannings capers used scented orange pekoe canton oolong scented canton sec examination herein provided shall made duly qualified examiner port standard samples established merchandise entered ports qualified examiner examination shall made one said ports nearest port entry purpose samples merchandise obtained manner prescribed section four act shall forwarded proper port collector chief officer port entry cases examination teas merchandise described tea examiners boards general appraisers provisions act purity quality fitness consumption shall tested according usages customs tea trade including testing infusion boiling water necessary chemical analysis sec cases teas merchandise described teas board general appraisers pursuance provisions hereof samples tea merchandise described tea dispute transmission board decision shall put sealed examiner presence importer consignee desires transmitted board together copy finding examiner setting forth cause condemnation claim ground protest importer relating samples papers therewith distinguished mark may identified decision board shall writing signed transmitted together record samples within three days rendition thereof collector shall forthwith furnish examiner importer consignee copy said decision finding board general appraisers herein provided shall authorized obtain advice necessary persons skilled examination teas shall receive services particular case compensation exceeding five dollars sec imported teas rejected customs examiner board general appraisers exported provisions act shall reimported penalty forfeiture violation prohibition sec secretary treasury shall power enforce provisions act appropriate regulations sec teas actually shipboard shipment time passage act shall subject prohibition hereof provisions act entitled act prevent tation adulterated spurious teas approved march second eighteen hundred shall applicable thereto sec act entitled act prevent importation adulterated spurious teas approved march second eighteen hundred hereby repealed repeal take effect date act goes effect approved march exhibit schedule country green teas arranged order quality comp